Aufderheide stings Hornets for key win

The Saddleback baseball team picked up a big win on Tuesday, traveling to Fullerton College and beating the Hornets 4-3.  Cameron Aufderheide  was solid on the mound in improving to 6-0 on the season.

Aufderheide silenced the Hornet bats into the ninth inning before running into some trouble and giving way to John Sheaks.  He struck out two while allowing seven hits but remained untouched until the ninth inning when Fullerton broke through with three runs.

Saddleback opened the scoring in the fourth inning when Ryan Fitzpatrick doubled home Dan James to give the Gauchos the lead.  Saddleback scored two more runs in the fifth when Colby Schultz scored on a throwing error by the Fullerton catcher.  Brett Barker then singled home Dylan Diaz, capitalizing on the throwing error with two outs in the inning for a 3-0 lead.  Saddleback would add another insurance run in the seventh inning when Cole Stanton singled home Jack Kaloogian with a two-out hit, upping the lead to 4-0.

The win moved Saddleback (21-11, 8-9) within one game of fourth-place Fullerton (20-12, 9-8) in the Orange Empire Conference standings with four games remaining on the schedule.  The Gauchos will open a two-game set with Irvine Valley on Thursday at IVC.  The first pitch is scheduled for 2:00 PM.